HB 520 By Representative Todd Jones
GC4R was a leader in a coalition of over 60 organizations supporting HB 520, the successor legislation to HB 1013 – The Mental Health Parity Act. After receiving overwhelming bi-partisan support in the House of Representatives, HB 520 has stalled in the Senate We know we enjoy strong bi-partisan support in the Senate and look forward to this peer and family positive language moving forward in 2024. HB 520 was designed to address building a statewide workforce for mental health and addiction medical services. It contains provisions to address the statewide shortage of mental health providers, understand the capacity for in-patient mental health and substance use treatment, streamline the ways that state agencies involved in behavioral health can share data, and address the needs of so-called “familiar faces” (people that cycle between homelessness, jails, and hospitals due to serious mental illness). The bill also expands the Behavioral Health Reform and Innovation Commission to include two “peer support specialists. GC4R is honored to be a leader in the effort to pass this transformational legislation to reform Behavioral Health services in Georgia.
HB 1170 By Representative Lee Hawkins – PASSED HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
HB 1170 requires that certain state government buildings, courthouses, and university buildings maintain and make accessible opioid antagonists. The bill allows for opioid antagonists to be placed in all buildings where the state requires a defibrillator. GC4R is honored to led on this historic lifesaving legislation.
SB 331 By Senator Randy Robertson
SB 331 relates to the certification of recovery residences by establishing legal definitions in the Georgia Code. GC4R is honored to work with our partners at the Georgia Association of Recovery Residencies (GARR) on this important legislation to establish protections for peers, families, and professionals in the Georgia Code thus providing legal protections should abuse occur in a recovery residency in Georgia.
HB 1035 By Representative Sharon Cooper – – PASSED HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
HB 1035 permits an expansion of supplying opioid antagonists through vending machines addressing the Department of Public Health standing order to allow for more opioid antagonists to be stocked in these machines and expand the exemption of naloxone from the definition of a dangerous drug to include any opioid antagonist when used for drug overdose prevention; it also will authorize the board of pharmacy to regulate the sale and supply of opioid antagonists through vending machines and provide that practitioners may dispense and supply opioid antagonists to certain individuals and entities; it also will repeal the requirement that an opioid antagonist must have a prescription in order for a individual who administers it to have civil, criminal, and professional immunity; and it will provide immunity for harm reduction organizations that supply opioid antagonists to certain individuals. GC4R supports this life saving legislation to expand access to opioid antagonists.
SB 377 By Senator Blake Tillery – PASSED the SENATE
SB 377 relates to the courts and social services, respectively, so as to provide for the licensing of qualified residential treatment programs; it will revise the definition of “qualified residential treatment program” to conform with federal law and expand services which allow for child care. GC4R is proud to support this important effort to reduce barriers to women with children who choose to seek treatment but want options to remain with their child or children.
HB 1073 By Representative Dale Washburn – PASSED HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
HB 1073 relates to proposed zoning decisions and procedures on zoning regarding halfway houses, drug rehabilitation centers, or other facilities for treatment of drug dependency. GC4R and many others have reason to believe that there are those in Georgia citing outdated Federal Law to justify requiring six months delay for zoning applications related to addiction. This legislation will mandate that all government entities comply with current Federal Law and treat addiction zoning applications the same as all other zoning applications which is two months. GC4R is proud to lead the effort to stop discrimination and ensure addiction recovery entities are allowed in every community in Georgia.
SB 336 By Senator Kay Kirkpatrick
SB 336 allows for certain officials on the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council (BHCC) to be represented by a delegate or agent and authorizes the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists to waive certain requirements for applicants licensed in other jurisdictions. GC4R supports this peer positive legislation which will allow for the BHCC to move forward with their important work and will remove outdated barriers to therapists who move to Georgia (and are in good standing) to provide important services in local communities across Georgia.
HB 181 By Representative Rick Townsend – PASSED HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
The Kratom Bill was complex and has seen many substitutes and amendments. Initially, GC4R OPPOSED HB 181 as the initial version sought to classify kratom as a Schedule 1 drug which would make its possession a felony. GC4R testified in opposition to this version of the bill and advocated for language to allow the Georgia Harm Reduction Community to continue to have access to kratom. GC4R appreciates Representative Rick Townsend for agreeing to our position. After much deliberation between Georgia legislators, the language of HB 181 was significantly amended. No longer does it seek an outright ban on kratom. The current version of the bill instead aims to impose regulations on kratom, similar to the types enacted in other states. HB 181 now seeks to raise the minimum age from 18 to 21, ban certain forms of kratom use (vaping), expand the labeling requirements, require manufacturers to register with the state, and mandate that kratom be sold behind the counter or in a locked glass case—among other restrictions. GC4R is honored to have contributed to a compromise effort on a complex matter to offer protections to the people of Georgia.
SB 395 authorizes opioid antagonists in elementary and secondary education schools. This is a necessary legal requirement to define legal protections regarding the storage and administration of opioid antagonists on school property. It is necessary to establish legal immunity for any person who administers an opioid antagonist and to spell out legal protocols for activation of the emergency medical services system and notification of emergency contacts. GC4R supports this important effort to provide access to life saving opioid antagonists for students and teachers in schools across Georgia.
HB 404 By Representative Kasey Carpenter – PASSED HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
HB 404 relates to landlords and tenants, so as to provide for a duty of habitability for certain rental agreements and provides for a series of legal requirements which provide tenants expanded protections in the Georgia Code. GC4R is pleased to support this effort to provide stability in housing by affording renters expanded protections and rights in Georgia.
HB 1006 is a bill supporting suicide prevention and awareness in elementary and secondary schools by requiring local school systems or public schools issuing identification cards to include information about the new 988 crisis line on the identification cards. GC4R supports this legislation to introduce the 988 crisis line to students across Georgia.
SB 373 By Senator Larry Walker – PASSED the SENATE
SB 373 would allow marriage and family therapists who have practiced lawfully in other states to move more quickly through the licensure process in Georgia. So long as an applicant holds a valid license, is considered in good standing with another state, does not have a criminal record, is a legal resident and pays the necessary fees, the expedited license should be issued within 30 days. GC4R is proud to support this important legislation which will help build a Behavioral Health workforce in Georgia.
SB 375 By Senator Brian Strickland – PASSED the SENATE
SB 375 adds the Commissioner of Veterans Services to the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council. Given that many veterans are impacted by Behavioral Health medical issues. GC4R supports this as an opportunity to build relationships and expand support for those impacted by addiction and mental medical issues.
HB 1264 By Representative Ron Stephens – PASSED HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
HB 1264 authorizes the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists to establish a professional health program to provide for monitoring and rehabilitation of impaired healthcare professionals and authorizes the Georgia Board of Nursing to establish a professional health program to provide for monitoring and rehabilitation of impaired nurses. GC4R supports this effort to allow health care professionals the opportunity to return to work with dignity.
HB 1179 By Representative Sharon Cooper
HB 1179 allows for the establishment by health benefit plans of step therapy protocols, exception process, time requirements, appeals, construction, and application, providing that step therapy protocols may not be required for medications prescribed for the treatment of serious mental illness under health benefit plans. GC4R supports this effort to make medical treatment for behavioral health issues for affordable and accessible.
HB 873 By Representative Stan Gunter – PASSED HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
HB 873 will create juvenile treatment court divisions providing alternative adjudication to the traditional judicial system thus allowing for the opportunity for juveniles to receive medical support as opposed to entering the adult criminal justice system. GC4R is proud to support legislation which allows for opportunities to address addiction as a medical issue as opposed to a criminal justice issue.
HB 1050 By Representative Karen Mathiak
HB 1050 relates to licensing provisions relative to professional counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists by providing for a change of certain education requirements for licensure as a professional counselor or associate professional counselor and provides for privileged communications with clients. GC4R supports this important legislation which provides for important medical confidentiality.
SB 480 relates to the Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce by providing for student loan repayment for mental health and substance use professionals serving in certain capacities. GC4R supports this important legislation to expand the behavioral health workforce in Georgia.
SB 481 creates and will maintain the Georgia Health Care Professionals Data System for the purposes of collecting and disseminating nonidentifying descriptive data on licensed health care professionals into a single repository of information easily accessible to the public. GC4R supports this legislation to bring a much-needed resource to families in communities across Georgia.
SR 354 By Senator Randy Robertson
SR 354 creates a Senate Study Committee on the Effects of Cannabis Use. A study committee does not pass laws; it allows public conversation to take place regarding the policy impacted by a law. GC4R supports opportunities for the General Assembly to have formal discussion on issues impacting addiction and recovery.
